Emerging antibiotic resistant enteric bacterial flora among food animals in Abeokuta, Nigeria

Abstract

Bacterial resistance to antibiotic in food animals is an emerging public health concern as a result of increasing multi-resistant bacteria found in Abeokuta. Therefore, occurrence rate and resistant profile of the emerging enteric pathogens were determined in food animals in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Fecal and rectal samples of 82 were randomly collected from food animals such as sheep (30), chicken (37) and pigs (15) in three major farms located in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Enteric bacteria isolates obtained were cultured and identified according to standard protocol. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by disc diffusion method and standard micro-tube dilution assay and resistance profile was carried out. Among the food animals surveyed for resistant enteric pathogens, 46% and 36% were chicken and sheep respectively while 18% were pigs. Complete resistance of 100% was shown by all the enteric bacteria obtained to metronidazole, tetracycline and penicillin while highest rate of Proteus mirabilis (33.5%) and Escherichia coli (20.1%) were multi resistant strains. Uncontrolled use of antimicrobial agents in food animals is shown to be associated with increasing emergence of antimicrobial resistance in food-borne pathogens which could enhance treatment failure and increase morbidity or death among the populace.